Latest Huron County beach testing results are announced

Published 11:32 am, Monday, April 25, 2016

HURON COUNTY  The Huron County Health Department released the latest results from its beach sampling program.

No beaches tested high enough to warrant any closings.

The health department is required by the state to conduct its beach sampling in waters at least 3 feet in depth. The program is paid for with grant monies from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Three samples are taken from each of the countys 12 beaches. The geometric mean of the three samples collected at each beach cannot exceed 300 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. of water, and the geometric mean of all samples collected at a beach over a 30 day period cannot exceed 130 E. coli per 100 ml. of water.

The beach that tested the highest for E. coli counts was Thompson Park which had 48.77 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. of water.

McGraw County Park had the second highest E. coli counts with 42.06 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. of water.

This is the ninth week of beach testing. So far the health department has closed three beaches this summer. Those included beaches in Oak Beach County Park, Thompson Park and the Port Crescent State Park Day Use area.

Tests from those parks came back with high readings Aug. 14. They were retested and results released Aug. 16 found they were safe for swimming. As a result, those beaches were reopened that same day.

For more information about the countys beach sampling program, call Huron County Environmental Health Director Dale Lipar at (989) 269-9721.